May 15, 2020
I trust that you and your loved ones remain safe and well.
As Simmo said in his video message earlier in the week – it’s been a long time since we’ve seen our members, as well as our players and most of our staff. It’s been tough. And life has been tough for many people, but the tough times represent an opportunity for our club to unite, stronger than ever, into the future. I’m sure you have all missed seeing the blue and gold on the park.
Australia has made encouraging progress in relation to the COVID-19 virus, with a number of States experiencing multiple consecutive days with no new cases identified.
This has contributed to a number of restrictions being loosened or lifted to date, and today, the AFL has announced that AFL players will be permitted to return to training (subject to State health authority approvals), with matches resuming on June 11.
Our players and relevant staff will relocate to the Gold Coast for the first four weeks, and we are embracing the opportunity to start playing football once again, no matter where that is. Everyone is excited and keen to get back to more formal training – they’ve all been working hard within the parameters the AFL set, but nothing compares to being back together with the rest of the team!
While spectators won’t be permitted to attend matches at the moment, due to remaining restrictions on mass gatherings, we are optimistic that there will be matches in Perth at Optus Stadium before the end of the season and we’re still hopeful that you will get to see some live action before the season is done, wherever you are in Australia.
I want to thank you for your patience as we have navigated the past several months in relation to the future of the 2020 Toyota AFL Premiership season. Determining options regarding your 2020 membership has been more complex than it may appear on the surface, and I am pleased to advise, now that the AFL has outlined the format for the resumption of the 2020 season, we can provide some detail in relation to the options available to you. As expected, we still don’t have all the answers regarding what will happen with the season, but we have a better idea than we did before.
As I’ve noted previously, we are fortunate to not require financial assistance from the AFL at this point; however, while we do have some financial reserves, the loss of a revenues across this year and potentially next – including reduced funding from the AFL, into the future – will significantly and quickly impact those reserves.
Like many, we are planning for a leaner future, while still striving to maintain a very competitive team onfield and continuing our contribution to the Western Australian football community. We want and need you to stick with us, as you have for so many years prior to the current crisis, in pursuit of these goals.
We continue to receive a heartening number of messages of support from our members, with many offering to donate their 2020 membership fees – which we gratefully accept – but we understand that not everyone is in a position to do so.
With that in mind, the following options are available to you, regarding your 2020 membership fees:
The details regarding each option can be found here, including all of the relevant terms and conditions, and how to activate your preferred option. It is extremely important that you take the time to review the information carefully, prior to choosing an option, and be comfortable with what it means for you and your membership.
If you need any advice or assistance, please do not hesitate to contact the Membership Services Centre, via email on membership@westcoasteagles.com.au or click here to request a call from the Membership team. We will get back to you as soon as we possibly can.
The COVID-19 danger has not completely passed, and I strongly encourage you to continue to observe the necessary preventative guidelines in place, to make sure we continue to keep this terrible disease in check across Australia.
Thank you once again for your loyalty and ongoing support of the West Coast Eagles – we look forward to restarting the 2020 season and getting back to what we do best!
Kind regards,
Trevor Nisbett
Chief Executive
